Trace-fastener



(No Model.) W. L. BEACH.`

` TRACE 4FAS'IEITJEB.. 4 No. 289,375. Patented Deo". 4, 1883.

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' the trace secured thereto.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

" VILLIAM Il. BEACH, OF VEBSTER CITY, IOWA.

TRACE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,375, dated December 4, 1883.

` Application inea september 21, 1883. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM L. BEACH, of Webster City, in the county of Hamilton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the.. accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this speciication, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved trace-fastener, showing a portion of Fig. 2 isa longitudinal section, taken .centrally through the fastener. Fig. 3 is a crosssection, taken in the plane indicated by dotted lines a' m on Fig. 2.

This invention relates to trace-fastening devicesifor holding the trace at the hame-tug, and allowing the trace to be adjusted as may be desired; and it consists in an automatic clam ng device combined with thebuckleframe, `asj will be fully understood from the following description, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings.

A designates the frame of my improved trace-fastener, which frame may be made of malleable iron or other metal, plated or ornamented in any desirable manner, so as to present a handsome appearance. Onone end of the frame A is a loop, B, adapted to receive a llame-tug. It will be observed that I the cross-bar or bridge of this loop is located below the plane of the bottom of the frame A, thus keeping the haine closely pressed against the bottom or floor of the frame, and ena-V bling it to be securely held at any desired place. Through the sides of the frame A are slots C C, which are inclined with respect to the inside face, d, and through which pass freely vthe ends of a cross-bar or roller, E, which ends are provided on the outside of the frame with secured washers D. (Shown clearly in Fig. 3.) `The said cross-bar or roller E is free to traverse the entire length of-the slots C C, and it is designed for firmly gripping the tracefF, when the latter is under strain, in the direction indicated by the arrow on Fig. 2. The roller or cross-bar applied in the oblique slots C C, as described and shown, forms an automatic clamping decessity of perforating the saine and using tongues, pins, or other retaining devices. It

`will be observed that the trace lies iiat on the surface d of the frame A; or, in other words,

the trace passes straight through this frame,

and is held against the face d with a force which increases in proportion as a strain on the trace increases. By pulling the trace ina direction opposite that in which the arrow on Fig. 2 points, the rollerEwill move away from the trace and readily release it. When there is considerable strain on the trace, the roller will more or less embed itself in the leather,

but will not weaken or injure it, as the pressf ure is direct, and there is no tendency to cut. It is obvious that my improved buckle or fastening device may be used for other parts of the harness, or wherever a buckle or strapfastener is required.

VI am aware that it is not .new to clamp and hold a trace in the peculiar manner herein described, and I therefore lay no claim, broadly, to such a device; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The improved traee-fastener herein described, consisting'of box A, having inclined slots C C, and formed with loop B, the crossbar or bridge of said loop being below the plane of the iioor of box A, in combination u with gravitating roller or slide E, all constructed and adapted to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afi-lx my signature in presence of two witnesses,

WILLTAM L. BEACH. lVitnesses:

T. H. ALnxANDEi-z, F. O. MCCLEARY. 

